Jhargram (West Bengal), Oct 15 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday gave a seven-day ultimatum to Maoist rebels in the state to choose between dialogue and arms, while she announced a slew of infrastructure and development projects for the Junglemahal region.
Asserting that politics of murder and negotiations cannot go together, Banerjee said that soon after coming to power in the state in May, her government initiated a peace process but the ultras did not stop bloodshed.
"We have started the peace process. There has been no joint security forces' operation for the last four months. We thought that will help. But we saw murders. Why? We say we want peace.
"In democracy negations can always continue. We are not in favour of stopping negotiations. But you have to leave arms. Stop threatening the people," Banerjee said, talking tough.
"I am giving you seven days' time. Think over this. If you want a peaceful solution to the problem, no issues. We want the doors of negotiations to be open. This is a last chance. Bloodshed and negotiations cannot go together," the chief minister said addressing a rally at the Jhargram stadium of West Midnapore district.
She called upon the people of the area to join forces against the Maoists.
"People should come forward and rally against them (Maoists). They come from outside, use supari killers to murder people. They only make money at the point of the gun."
Banerjee, who was on her second visit to junglemahal (the forested areas in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts where Maoists are active) since coming to power, laid the foundation of a Rs.170 crore river bridge project over Subarnarekha, a road connecting Netai and Lalgarh and increased the procurement price of kendu leaves to be purchased by the government.
She also announced modernisation project for the stadium, and setting up of four other stadia, and polytechnic college at Ramgarh, 31 girls' hostels, four new colleges, a large number of drinking water schemes, new tourist lodges, vocational training centres, 20,000 cycles for girls students, two model schools and 5,600 houses for poor people.